St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-02-08
A BLACK REPUBLICAN
Is Thought by the United States Senate
Far Preferable to a Colored
Democrat,
And That is the Main Reason Advanced
for the Rejection of Matthews
Nomination.
A Bill Passed Providing for Modern
Ordnance and Coast Forti-
hcations,
A Polygamist, Now ssDotng Time,'
Wins His Case in the Supreme
Court.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE document
prepared by Senator Ingalls, and offered in
the shape of resolution, regarding the re-
lection by the senate of Matthews (colored)
to be recorder of deeds of the District of
Columbia. was to-day adopted by the senate
26 to Is IA party votel, and will be sent to
the pres sdent with the rejection. The doc
ument is in part as follows:
The president attempts to justify the re-
nomination of Matthews by stating: First,
that the fitness OF the nominee has been dem
onstrated; second. that the previous opposi-
ton to his appointment among the citizens of
the district has largely subsded; third, that
he desires in this way 10 tender just recogni-
tion and good faith toward our coored citi-
gems.
IT Is SUFFICIENT ANSWER
to the first two reasons alleged to say that
neither could have been applicable when
Matthews was appointed in August, immedi-
ately after the adjournment of the senate for
at that time his fitness bad not been demon
strated, nor had there been any interval for
local opposition to subside. Until suggested
by the president. the senate was not aware
that the question of ''just recognition or good
faith to our colored fellow citizens was in
volved in the question, and it has never before
been urged that persons nomination for an
office should be confirmed or rejected because
he was black or white. This qualification has
been abolished by the suppression Of the re-
bellion and by the amendments of
the constitution, and is no longer
properly to be recognized in public affairs.
The senate, however, in view of the message
of the president, cannot forebear to apprise
him, since he has raised the race issue that
Frederick Douglass was requested to resign
the office of recorder of deeds in the District
of Columbia in order that James Matthews
might be appointed 10 the place. Without
doubt Douglass is the most distinguished rep
resentative of his class, not in this country
only, but in the world. Just recognition
would have been rendered to our colored fell
low-citiZens by the selection of Frederick
Douglass rather than by his enforced retire
ment in order to reward
AN UNKNOWN AND OBSCURE PARTISAN
whe had never been slave. and therefore
represented the franchised race ouly by the
accident of color. The devotion Of the presi-
dent to the political and civil advancement
of the colored race might have been equally
attested, and 'good faith might have been
strongly exhibited by the retention of
Douglass in the Office, whose duties he was
discharging to the best satisfaction of the
people unless it Is to be understood that "just
recognition Teoog is to be atendeEsed only to to
who are supposed to entertain
particular political opinions. In such case
the issue of race disappears and the test is
politics. The senate has no official informa-
ton, other than that contained in the message
of the president, whether Matthews is white
or black. He is admitted to be citizen of
New York. The Office to which he is nomi-
mated is strictly local. The compensation for
the performance of. its duties is that paid by
the government, but mainly by citizens of
the district having papers to be recorded
therein. His confirmation is opposed with
substantial unanimity by the citizens of the
district without regard to color. politics or
occupation